My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton (1915-1968) was a Catholic writer and Trappist monk at Our Lady of Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky.
His inspirational quotes turn up on Facebook and elsewhere. (I saw the above quote on Facebook this week.)
It’s a beautiful quote, I have to say that.
Do you know how Thomas Merton died? If you find Merton inspirational, it may be better not to know how he died.
He was electrocuted by an electric fan. He stepped out of a bath and was electrocuted by a fan.
I can’t help thinking about that when I read quotes like the above.
— Dear Lord, I know you will lead me by the right road . . .
— Yep no problem Tom, got you covered.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTT!
— Oops, watch out for that fan.
I don’t want to ruin it for you if you like Merton . . . but if you believe in this kind of a heavenly arrangement, you’ve got to believe God is one heck of a practical joker.